4. The Monarch Of Menace
Who Is He? The Monarch Of Menace is what would happen if Danny Ocean plundered Elton John's closet. A career criminal who was an expert in heists, The Monarch used his ridiculous theme to pull off a feat that very few can claim: Besting the Dark Knight. During Batman's early days he went toe-to-toe with The Monarch Of Menace and was overwhelmed by his ridiculousness. With Batman momentarily incapacitated The Monarch took every last red cent from the Gotham Bank and got the heck out of dodge, leaving Batman on the losing end to a goober dressed like the Burger King. Batman eventually got his revenge years later, but that was a loss that had to sting. Never before has Batman dealt with someone who had the wherewithal to dress like a moron to pull off a caper, but also he had to stomach the fact that this guy was smart enough to quit while he was ahead. It's not often that Batman squares off with someone who has common sense.
How Should He Return? "The Monarch Of Menace" is a pimp title to have, but that doesn't mean you have to dress the part. The Monarch already toed the line between gangster and costumed freak, so why not just commit to one side? Criminal mastermind or not, it's hard to take someone seriously when they're waving a scepter at you and calling you a peasant. Have The Monarch create a vast criminal empire not unlike Marvel's Kingpin; close enough for him to control, but removed enough to where he can't be implicated. The only thing worse than a criminal is one you can't put away, and The Monarch is smart enough that he could drive Batman crazy for years.